Image© Miguel Angel Azua

Red Lester

SPOILER ALERTS: This review refers to plot points in some of the films mentioned.

Two recently released films, Argo and Zero Dark Thirty, both nominated for the Oscar for Best Film in the 2013 awards, have been criticised in some quarters for aspects of their portrayals of the CIA. Argo, which won the award for best film has been accused of exaggerating the role of the CIA agent, altering and creating events for dramatic effect, and presenting the Iranian people as an aggressive and fanatical mob.  In the case of Zero Dark Thirty, opinions are divided over whether the film glorifies or justifies torture as a means of obtaining intelligence; it certainly alarmed members of the US Senate who wanted the CIA to deny that such techniques had been used to gain information. Questions were also asked about whether ‘inappropriate’ intelligence had been shared with the scriptwriter.

The CIA is aware of the power of mass entertainment products in promoting a certain image. They have had their own Entertainment Liaison Office since 1996 and appear to trade access to locations and expertise for favourable portrayals on film. In an example of bleeding between fact and fiction, the producers of the TV show 24 which featured many scenes of torture, all justified within the programme by the imminence of a wide range of large scale terrorist events, were asked by the US officer training institution West Point to tone down the violence as recruits were being ‘inspired’ by the programme to emulate these tactics.

The aim of this book is to look at the role of Hollywood in supporting or subverting images of the CIA and how this role has changed over time. It examines a selection of films on a decade by decade basis from the 1960s onwards. They are analysed to determine how important a role the agency played, and if the portrayal of the organisation or its agents or ex-agents was favourable or unfavourable. Also, and most interestingly, the authors look at how the movies relate to their historical moment of production.

In the 1960s, the CIA was frequently seen to play a supporting role and also a positive one. This can partly be accounted for by the strong presence of British intelligence agents in many films at this time; The Ipcress File, The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, and, of course, the Bond movies. During the 1970s there was more awareness of some of the covert activities undertaken by the CIA, culminating in the production of the Pike Committee and Church Committee reports. This led to a greater willingness to portray CIA agents, or the agency itself, in a less favourable light. However, the book points out that this tendency does not extend to criticism of the political context of the CIA’s work and its possible effects on democracy abroad. Typically, the central agency character would be portrayed favourably, but in conflict with more senior CIA staff or the bureaucracy of the organisation or the government generally (e.g. Three Days of the Condor).

By the 1980s, knowledge about covert and destabilising activities carried out by the CIA was more widespread. In 1983, 53% of Americans believed that the agency had been involved in assassination plots against leaders of countries with who the USA was not at war. Films during this decade were more likely to show agents using surveillance or threats against American citizens (e.g. The Osterman Weekend and Above the Law). However, this kind of activity was frequently portrayed as the work of a ‘bad apple’ in a basically well-behaved organisation.

The 1990s were marked by the transition from the ending of the Cold War to conflicts with religious and cultural factors at their heart. The book identifies the two key events as the first Gulf War and the break-up of the Soviet Union. Films such as The Hunt for Red October, in which a Russian submarine captain  wants to turn his nuclear vessel over to the USA to reduce the chance of war, portray the tension between those willing to embrace a less hostile relationship with Russia and those within the security establishment advocating a military strike. Just after the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Centre, Islamic fundamentalists were portrayed as the primary villains within a film (True Lies) for the first time.

In the 2000s, the authors identify many films in which the goal is to represent historical events, often to offer insight into more recent events. However, the portrayal of events or behaviours is often less critical than it could be. For instance in the film The Good Shepherd, which tells the story of the origins of the CIA, it is implied that some Nazis were tricked into giving up valuable information before being executed. Although this may be true, no reference is made to those Nazis granted protection for assisting the USA in the fields of nuclear power and bioterrorism.

From these analyses, the authors suggest several ways in which audiences can be entertained by films about the CIA without having to confront some of their activities which would be hard to justify. There can be the concentration on a theme such as the Cold War when the more questionable activities were taking place in the developing world. There can be the use of humour: to be thought of as ineffectual or accident-prone could be a useful distraction from more questionable activities. Alternatively, the CIA can be portrayed in terms of a family, and their activities a mere backdrop to themes of betrayal, conflict and revenge within the CIA (for instance in the Bourne movies). Audiences are often encouraged to go along for the ride and enjoy a thrilling yarn without considering the context. Argo is certainly full of suspense and enjoyable as an entertainment.

The methodology used to select random films for analysis seems to add little to the book. Although it could be argued that the inclusion of less well known films helps to avoid the bias that could arise from choosing only the authors’ favourite films, the obvious films that cry out for inclusion end up being analysed as well, which seems to render the methodology null and void. However, there is a useful summary of other writing on this subject and an extensive filmography. It will certainly be of interest to film students and could be dipped into with interest by anyone interested in both politics and the cinema.

Hollywood and the CIA: cinema, defense and subversion by Oliver Boyd-Barrett, David Herrera and Jim Baumann – Routledge – 2012 (pb)

Whenever I go away for the weekend I have a lot to catch up on- thus the reason for no posts for the last two days. But I wanted to say that being around these guys, watching their enthusiasm for life, their interest in making life better for young gay men in the state and the strength and energy they brought to (and hopefully took home from) this weekend, energized me and gave me renewed energy to do what I do.

It might sound sappy, but I don’t care. This retreat was the best I’ve ever been involved in- and the (I want to call them kids, but I don’t want to sound condescending) participants made me realize that the future is in pretty good hands.

That’s excellent, because I’m not getting any younger.

Special thanks to FDH and Associates (David Herrera, Chantz Thilmony) and the Montana Gay Men’s Task Force for their dedication to the wellness, safety and education of gay/bi men in Montana. And to Bernie Kneefe for being the Den Mother.

If you’re a young gay/bi man who wants to be involved in this next year- go here. They’ll hook you up.

Related articles

• Montana Gay-Friendly Health and Mental Health Providers (dgsma.wordpress.com)

Photo by Curt Prendergast.

“(Reuters) – U.S. authorities have upgraded six miles of border fencing in a remote Arizona ranching town with a taller barrier that will be tougher to breach, in the latest effort to tighten their grip on the isolated stretches of the Mexico border.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said it has replaced outdated panel fencing that carved across the southern reach of Douglas, in the far southeast corner of Arizona, with an 18-foot-tall bollard and steel-mesh fence design.

The move to refurbish the barrier separating Douglas from Agua Prieta in Mexico’s northern Sonora state follows an overhaul of 2.8 miles of fencing in Nogales, the largest city on the Arizona-Mexico border, last year.

“Every time we get a new technology it allows us to expand.” said David Herrera, a spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson sector, of the overhaul completed this week. [Read more]

###

ANAHEIM (CBS) — The man, who allegedly preyed on homeless men — killing four of them in stabbing frenzies in Orange County, may have killed a mother and son, police confirmed Thursday.

Itzcoatl “Izzy” Ocampo, 23, who faces four counts of murder for the fatal stabbings of four homeless men in a spree that prosecutors have alleged began December 20, may have killed a mother and her son in Yorba Linda last October.

Ocampo, a former Marine, has been charged with first-degree murder cases with special circumstances in the killings of the homeless men. Each of the victims was stabbed more than 40 times with what is believed to be a Military-type knife.

Detectives said Thursday that there were similarities between those attacks and the double-murder in Yorba Linda.

David Herrera and his mother Raquel Estrada were found stabbed to death in their home.

The woman’s other son– Eder Herrera is behind bars right now in connection with the murders. The victims lived about two miles away from Ocampo.

Police said Ocampo had a “relationship” with the family, but would not say what it was.

Neighbors told us Ocampo and Herrera went to high school together.

Investigators are not ruling out the possibility that Ocampo could be linked to more unsolved murders in Orange County.

“With each additional crime, of course, we are learning more about Mr. Ocampo. But I can’t get into details about what other potential crimes that he might have committed. Be we are, we will look into anything that might be related and that’s why I asked if there is a law enforcement agency out there that thinks there might be a crime that Mr. Ocampo could be involved in, we’d like to hear about it at the homicide task force,” said Anaheim Police Lieutenant Julian Harvey.

As for Eder Herrera, Anaheim police said he was still a suspect in the murder of his mother and brother.

RELATED STORIES:

» Detectives Eye Slayings Of OC Mom And Son In Connection With Homeless Killings
» Yorba Linda Man, 23, Accused As Slayer Of 4 Homeless Men

In a situation that resembles Terry Francona and Bobby Valentine switching offices, Perry is part of an identical exchange with Chili Davis.  

Perry, the Oakland A’s hitting coach in 2011, was not resigned at the end of the season and was thus on the open market.  Who did Oakland replace him with?  2011 PawSox hitting coach, Chili Davis.  Who replaces Davis in Pawtucket?  Gerald Perry, of course.

And around and around we go.

The new job for Davis reunites him with former San Francisco Giants teammate, and current Oakland manager, Bob Melvin.   A three-time All-Star, Davis had a career batting average of .274, while belting 350 home runs and batted in 1,372 runs.  Despite a 19-year major league career, the Jamaican-born 52-year-old is relatively inexperienced as a coach:

2003-04: Australian National Team Hitting Coach
2010: Dodgers’ Instructional League Hitting Coach
2011: PawSox Hitting Coach

Perry is a familiar face around McCoy Stadium, previously spending four seasons in the Boston organization as a minor league hitting coach with Single-A Michigan (1997) and Pawtucket (1998 and 2010), and was the club’s minor league hitting coordinator in 1999.

Perry enters his 29th season in professional baseball after being selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 11th Round of the 1978 draft.  A 13-year major leaguer and 1988 National League All-Star, Perry’s career was spent predominately at first base.  The video above is Perry with our very own Steve Hyder at Media Day in 2010.  Below is the complete minor league field staff list for this upcoming season.  -AG

Pawtucket (Triple-A, International League)
Manager: Arnie Beyeler
Pitching Coach: Rich Sauveur
Hitting Coach: Gerald Perry
Athletic Trainer: Jon Jochim

Portland (Double-A, Eastern League)
Manager: Kevin Boles
Pitching Coach: Bob Kipper
Hitting Coach: Dave Joppie
Athletic Trainer: Brandon Henry - Begins his first year with Portland after spending the last two seasons as athletic trainer for Salem. He enters his sixth season with the organization having also served as athletic trainer for Greenville (2009) and Lowell (2008-07).

Salem (High-A, Carolina League)
Manager: Billy McMillon - Will serve as Salem’s manager after skippering at Greenville from 2010-11. He led the Drive to the South Atlantic League Championship Series in his 2010 managerial debut.
Pitching Coach: Kevin Walker
Hitting Coach: Rich Gedman - Joins Salem after serving last season as hitting coach for Lowell in his first coaching position in affiliated ball.
Athletic Trainer: David Herrera - Moves to Salem from Greenville, where he was the Drive’s athletic trainer from 2010-11. He also held that position for Lowell (2009) and the GCL Red Sox (2008).

Greenville (Single-A, South Atlantic League)
Manager: Carlos Febles - Moves to Greenville after making his managerial debut with Lowell in 2011. He was Salem’s hitting coach from 2009-10 and held the same role for Single-A Lancaster in 2008.
Pitching Coach: Dick Such
Hitting Coach: Darren Fenster – Joins Greenville in his affiliated coaching debut after spending six seasons on the Rutgers University baseball staff, including three as an assistant coach (2009-11). He also served as an assistant coach for the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Orleans Cardinals in 2008. Selected by Kansas City in the 12th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft, Fenster spent five seasons in the Royals minor league system and was named a Carolina League All-Star in 2002 and 2004.
Athletic Trainer: Mauricio Elizondo - Enters his fifth season in the Red Sox organization and his first as athletic trainer with Greenville. He previously served as athletic trainer for Lowell (2010-11) after joining the system as an intern with the GCL Red Sox (2008-09).

Lowell (Short-A, New York-Penn League)
Manager: Bruce Crabbe - Returns to Lowell after serving as Salem’s manager in 2011. This will be his third season at the helm of the Spinners (also 2006 and 2010).
Pitching Coach: Paul Abbott
Hitting Coach: Nelson Paulino - Joins Lowell as hitting coach after serving in the same capacity for the Dominican Summer League Red Sox over five seasons from 2001-02 and 2008-11.
Athletic Trainer: TBA

Gulf Coast (Rookie, Gulf Coast League)
Manager: George Lombard
Pitching Coach: Goose Gregson
Pitching Coach: Walter Miranda
Coach: Dave Tomlin
Hitting Coach: U.L. Washington
Coach: Noah Hall - Makes his coaching debut after playing parts of 13 seasons as an outfielder in affiliated minor league baseball from 1996-2009. He also played parts of five seasons in independent leagues (2001, 2007 and 2009-11).

“Jesus “Cha” Grandez is a Sk8r from Peru who had been in NY for sometime now so he’s considered a NY Roller now .Cha is a great guy that I had the opportunity of skating with all summer. I wish him a safe and fun trip to Colombia. See you when you get back son!” – David Herrera.